Know your armyworm species
Three armyworm species occur in South Africa: the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), the African armyworm (S. exempta), and the lesser armyworm (S. exigua). These insects’ life cycles, behaviour and ecologies differ, and they feed on different crops, says Dr Annemie Erasmus, a senior researcher of entomology at the Agricultural Research Council’s (ARC) Grain Crops Institute.
The lesser armyworm, for example, survives on broadleaved plants, while the African armyworm feeds on grass species such as maize.
“It is essential for crop producers to familiarise themselves with the different species of armyworm to ensure correct classification and effective control should an outbreak occur,” says Erasmus.
